𝔸 𝕊𝕡𝕪 𝕀𝕟 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕥 𝔻𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖

Chapter 7

Anya wasn't sure just how their relationship would fare going into Christmas time: It was only just a short while ago that they she had felt that they might no longer be friends.

But by the time that Christmas had rolled around, she found herself spending hours and hours with her Mother trying to pick out the perfect dress, before heading off to Number 12.

Grimmauld Place.

She had been warned that the House had a number of muggle repelling charms placed on it, and that they would have to meet Harry out front to be invited inside.

Loid had driven around the block a couple of times, trying to find it, before Harry waved them down.

Loid frowned as he looked at the house. "I could have sworn there was nothing here when I drove by." He said.

Anya grimaced, trying her hardest to come up with some kind of excuse.

Her Father was, by his nature, extremely observant.

Nothing other than the fact that his wife was an assassin ever seemed to escape his notice.

Harry led them into the house and to the dining room, where Sirius was waiting.

He smiled and got to his feet, and greeted her parents.

She was surprised at how normal he looked.

Ron and Hermione were sitting awkwardly at the table.

"Oh, I hope she's nice."

"She's cuter than I remember."

"Hello." Anya said politely, as she held out her hand to Hermione. "I'm Anya Forger, you must be Hermione. I've heard a lot about you."

She flashed a grin at Ron. "And we have met. Briefly."

He smiled back, but Hermione seemed a little apprehensive of her.

It seemed as if that was in her nature: Harry and Ron, her best friends, had found her standoffish and rude when they had first met, and Anya could tell most other people her age felt the same way, which probably made her feel very protective of her inner circle.

Anya tried her best to be nice to her and ask her questions about herself, and she seemed to relax rather quickly, and began happily discussing her feelings regarding her life at Hogwarts with her as Sirius and her parents shared a bottle of fire whiskey.

"Oh, I wish you could see it." Hermione sighed. "The castle is so beautiful over the holidays."

"I do too." Anya said. "It all sounds so fun."
She perhaps sounded a bit more bitter than she intended: Hermione picked up on it immediately.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She said. "I didn't mean..."

"No, it's fine." Anya said, trying to sound chipper.

They avoided talking about wizarding things for the remainder of the evening.

They spoke a lot about their families instead.

They were busy amusing themselves explaining dentistry to a befuddled Ron who had always had his teeth worked on by magic when Yor let out a hearty hiccup.

She had, Anya realized, already drunk too much.

"Thannnnnnks for inviting us, Mr. Black." She said, swaying slightly. "You're a good man!"

Sirius looked almost completely taken aback.

Anya found herself feeling a little embarrassed.

"We might have to leave soon." She said. "My Mother's... uh, poor at handling her alcohol."

"We've been worried about Hawwy since we met him." Yor said, a little bit too loudly. "Anya asked if we could adopt him."

Anya felt her face turn red.

She couldn't look Harry in the eyes.

She had the strong impression that Ron was laughing at her.

"We never met his parents. What were they like?"

Anya froze.

She cast an anxious look at Harry, expecting the conversation the direction had taken to upset him.

But she was surprised that he felt rather happy.

"His Father was the best friend I ever had." Sirius said. "A true friend, right to the end. I miss him every day."

The conversation among the kids dwindled as they sat and listened to Sirius regale them all with stories of James Potter and his wife.

Anya worried briefly that Sirius would be too drunk to remember that they were muggles and to let something slip, but he surprised her by talking a lot about their marriage instead.

"He liked her the instant he saw her." Sirius said. "It took her years to start feeling the same for him."

"Awww, exactly like Anya!" Yor gushed.

Anya felt her face go red.

Hermione patted her sympathetically on her shoulder.

"We can leave, if you like." She whispered. "You can look at my Hogwarts books."

Anya shook her head and gestured towards Harry, who was sitting enraptured.

Hermione caught on immediately, and pulled away.

"They got married immediately after school." Sirius said. "And then Harry was born."

Now it was Harry's turn to loom embarrassed.

"I've never seen James so happy." Sirius said. "He was looking forward to spending the rest of his life with his family."

A heavy silence filled the air.

"And then he was murdered by Voldemort."

The rest of the dinner was spent in morbid silence.

Anya found herself.joining Harry in lighting candles for his parents, and mourned them with him.

And then it was time for them to go.

"I had a lovely time." Anya said to Harry, as her parents made her way to the car. "I hope we can do it again next year."

They smiled at each other, and then Anya turned and walked down the steps.

"Murdered..." Loid was saying, as she stepped into the car.

"I had no idea." Yor said quietly.

She was still quite drunk.

She seemed quite out of it.

Her eyes were flitttering open and shut.

Anya was sure that she was about to pass out.

"We have to do soooooomething." She said.

"Yor, later." Loid said, casting a look behind at her.

Anya stared at him, wishing that for once he would be honest with her about his concerns.

"Who is this Voldemort guy, Anya?" Yor asked.

"I'm not sure." Anya said stiffly. "I've never asked."

"Is he... still around?"

"Yes."

"I se."

To Anya's horror, a familiar looking shadow fell across her face.

She knew that look.

It was the look she got every time the Shopkeeper called on her to kill someone.